Furnace.



H..A. POPPENHUSEN.

FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILI-:n IAN. 29. I9I'1.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

ETE @TETES AT @FFFCQ HERMAN A. POPPENHUSEN, 0F HAMMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 GREEN ENGINEER- ING- COMIANY, OF EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.,

Application led January 29, 1917. Serial No. 145,209.

'in furnaces, and more particularly to the construction of a device associated with a grate of the traveling chaln type and adapted, among other things, to retard the fuel at the rear of the grate, and so arranged to permit the same to be moved to permit access to the rear portion of the fuel bed for the purpose of inspection or cleaning.

In furnaces of the mechanical stoker type, employing traveling chain grates, it is desirable to provide a transversely extending member (preferably water cooled to prevent adhesion of the ashes thereto) at the rear of the grate and spaced above the surface thereof, said ,water cooled member, or water-back as it is called, servingvto regulate the thickness of the fuel bed, by delining the discharge opening, through which the ashes are discharged from the grate, and in retarding the upper layer of the fuel until it is completely consumed and reduced to ash before being discharged.

Furthermore, in the operation of furnaces of this type, it is often desirable to clean or otherwise attend to thev lire, by means of suitable tools, this being ordinarily impossible ina furnace of the mechanical stoker type, because of the closed construction at the front of the furnace. It is proposed, therefore, to provide a movable gate or retarding member, coperating with -a fixed retarding member or water-back, said gate or retarding member being capable of movement in a direction to open the space above the grate, thereby affording access to the fuel bed from the rear end of said grate, and to permit a person to operate the gate member and to attend to the fuel bed, by means of tools, access being had to the combustion chamber by the use of a separate rear compartment, embracing a partition wall located rearwardly of the grate and `provided with a door adapted to be opened when access to the gate member and grate surface is desired.

The details of construction whereby the objects of the invention are accomplished, are hereinafter fully. described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinv Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section through the rear portion of the combustion chamber and grate of a furnace, and embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view in section, showing the gate'member in open position; and

VFig. 3 is a view in cross-section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, showing the principal parts in elevation.

Referring to the drawings, there are illustrated only such parts of the furnace as pertain to the invention, it being understood that a furnace to which the improved device is applicable is of the standard construction, embracing side walls 9, 9, of brick, the front wall inclosing a combustion chamber in the forward part of the furnace, wherein is mounted a grate 1.0, preferably of the endless chain type, the grate being carried by rollers and sprocket wheels at the front and rear ends, there being provided suitable actuating mechanism for movJV ing the grate. As illustrated in the drawings, the rear portion of such grate 10 is shown, the same being mounted on sprocket wheels ll, carried upon a transverse shaft 12, journaled in a suitable frame structure 13. Immediately above the rear end 0f the grate and spaced a considerable' distance therefrom, is a cross-wall 14, extending transversely of the combustion chamber and forming the rear wall thereof. The crosswall is constructed of brick and supported upon a series of longitudinal and parallel beams 15, of I-section, which in turn rest upon another series of parallel cross-beams 16, of I-section, extending transversely below the cross-wall andl suitably mounted at their ends in the side walls of the furnace. Above the combustion chamber and extending throughout the length of the -furnace is the boiler space, containing the steam boiler (a part 17 being shown in Fig. 1). At the rear of the combustion chamber and below the cross-wall 14 is a vertical partition wall 18, which separates said combustion chamber from the space behind said partition wall, such space being preferably inclosed i by wall-sito form a compartment which may be entered from the exterior of the furnace. v'.lihe partition wall is provided with openings, which are normally closed by v ertically swinging doors 19, 19, extending throughout the height of said' walls. llhe doors are supported by means of hinges 20 to the frame or partition wall 18 and locked in closed position by means of suitable locks 21. l

Extending transversely of the combustion chamber and immediately below the front margin of the cross-wall 14 are two watercirculating tubes 22 and 23, forming a Water-back or Water cooled member, adapted to prevent theformation of clinkers at the ash discharge opening and, further, to act as fuel-retarding members, as will hereinafter be pointed out. The upper tube 22 is located adjacent to the under surface of the cross-wall 14, in close proximity to the front ends of the longitudinal supporting beams 15, and the lower tube 23 is located vertically below the upper tube 22 and spaced a short distance above the surface of the grate, there being provided a Vertical space between the tubes and between the lower tube 23 and the grate surface, the latter forming the discharge opening for the ashes.

Mounted immediately behind the tubes 22 and 23 is the swinging gate or fuel-retarding member, comprising members as follows: A transverse bar 24, of lf-form, extends transversely of the combustion chamber just below the beams 15 and to the rear of the 11pper tube 22, said bar being preferably secured to the lower anges of said beams and provided with a downwardly depending flange, slightly curved in the direction of said tube and terminating just above the lower surface thereof. Depending from the lower margin of said bar 24 are a plurality of gate members or plates 25, 25, preferably two in number, pivotally connected to the bar 24 by a suitable number of hinges 26 along their adjacent-margins. rllhese plates are arranged end to end, and extend transversely between the side Walls of the furnace, andin reality are but independent sections or units of a single movable gate or retarding member.

Referring to the construction of the gate members proper, 25, 25, the same comprise vertically arranged, L-shaped plates, provided at their lower marginswith flanges 27, 27 extending at right-angles to the plates and forwardly in the direction of the plane of the tubes 22 and 23, said flanges preferably having short upturned flanges along their outer edges, which bear flatwise against the rear surface o'f the lower tube 23. When the plates are in their vertical or closed positions, they form a closure or wall immediately behind'the tubes and close the space therebetween, that is, the entire tessera vertical space between the grate surface and the cross-wall 14, with the exception of the opening below the lower tube, which forms the discharge opening of the ashes.

For the purpose of opening the space normally closed by the gate members, the following devices are employed for retaining them in open position and for holding the plates in closed position against the pressure exerted upon the plates by the fuel. Pivotally mounted upon the under surface of the cross-wall 14, and at a point rearwardly of the plates, are plate-locking members 28, 2.8, there being preferably provided one for each plate. lEach of these locking members consists of two pivotally connected links 29 and 30, the upper link having pivotal connection at its upper end with a suitable bracket 31, connected to the upper side of a beam 15, the lower link 30 being pivotally connected at its opposite end. At the adjacent connected ends of each link are provided integral lugs orv ears 32, 32 extending at right-angles to the links from the sides thereof facing the plates 25,25, and serving a purpose that will be presently disclosed. 'llo look or hold the plates in vertical or closed position, the links preferably occupya position of substantial alinement with each other. and are inclined forwardly and downwardlv at an angle of 45 toward the plates, which are provided upon their rear faces and adjacent their lower margins with lugs 33, 33,`which are 'engaged by the free ends of the lower links 30. In this position the links form a rigid inclined brace member, serving to hold the plates rigidly in contact with the tube 23, the ears 32, 32 making the links rigid by preventing thebreaking or iexing of the links in a downward direction. To release the plates, the brace or locking member'is removed, by breaking or flexing the links at the center joint, by striking them on the under sidewith a suitable tool or otherwise, thus disengaging the free end of the links from the retaining lugs 33 and allowing the links to drop into a vertically depending position, as shown in Fig. 2. 'llhe plates are now free to be swung rearwardly and upwardly,'this being accomplished from the rear and through the open doors of the compartment at the rear of the furnace, each plate being preferably providedwith a handle or bar 34 attached to the rear face of the plates' and extending downwardly and rearwardly therefrom. 1n the swinging of a plate upwardly, above the ears 32,v 32 of the depending links, the uppermost ear acts as a hook, which yengages the edge of the flange thereof, thereby retaining the plate in open position. By disturbing the links slightly, the plate may be dropped into closing position and the links readjusted to form the brace, as before.

lwhich also provides a pocket It has been suggested that the tubes form a water-back or Water-cooled member, acting to partially define or restrict the discharge opening for the ashes and, by reason of the cooled surfaces, prevent the formation of clinkers. The space between the links, however, provides an opening, through which fuel as well as a considerable amount of heated gases can escape. Hence it is desirable under operating conditions to seal or close this space between the tubes, not only to prevent the escape of the gases and fuel, but also to aid in retarding the layers of fuel above the discharge opening and for the purpose hereinbefore pointed out. The plates are especially designed -to prevent their being burned out by the hot fuel, in that they are spaced from the tubes by the provision of the lower marginal fiange,

w ich becomes filled with dead ash, thus forming an effective protection from the heat.

The space between the tubes is furthermore available for the purpose of inspecting or inserting tools therethrough for attending to the fire, this being done from the rear compartment and through the opening of the doors thereof, while the furnace is in operation. It is for this reason that the plates are adapted to be swung upwardly, so as to open the space between the tubes, this being done, as efore set forth', by any suitable tool at hand and without exposure to the heat of the furnace. It is preferable to form the movable ateY members -in two or more parts or sections for the obvious reason that it enables one portion of the fuel bed to be inspected` or treated without disturbing the remaining portions, or unnecessarily opening theentire space simultaneously.

In conjunction with a rear compartment .adapted to permit access to the combustion chamber, in the absence of convenient means from the front and exterior of the furnace, the gate membersand associated parts constitute a conveniently -operable device, serving to seal the space at the rear of the grate and as a retarding member under'normal conditions of operation, and having the advantage of being movable to permit the space or opening closed thereby to be used for inspecting or otherwise attending tothe fire. I

The features embodying the invention are more specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a furnace, the combination Aof a grate, a Wall extending transversely above said grate, va fixed fuel retarding member.

spaced from the surface of said grate and forming a transverse opening between said fuel retarding member and saidi wall, and a gate member mounted adjacent said wall and a -plate pivotally mounted at its upper .mar-

and movable yinto and out of contact with said `fuel reta-rding member, to open and close said opening.

2. In a furnace, the combination of a grate, a wall extending transversely above the surface of 'said grate, a water circulating tube mounted between the surface of the grate and said wall, and a gate member pivotally mounted above the grate and adapted to be swung into and out of contact with said tube, to open and close the space between the same and said wall.

3."In a furnace, the combination of a grate, a cross-wall above the rear end of the grate, a water-circulating tube extending transversely of said grate between the same and said wall, and a gate member pivotally mounted upon said wall and extending downwardly behind and in contact with said tube and adapted to be moved into and out of position to open and close the space between said tube and wall.

4. In a furnace, the combination of a grate, a cross-wall spaced above the rear of said grate, a fixed fuel-retarding member mounted in the space between said walll and grate surface and forming therebelow an ash discharge opening, a gate member comprising a vertical plate pivotally mounted above said fixed member and adapted to be swung into and out of contact with said fixed member to open and close the space above the same, and a removable brace member adapted to hold said plate in closed position.

'5. In a furnace, the combination of'a traveling chain grate, a fixed fuel-retarding lower margin with the same, and means for retaining said plate in contact with said fixed member, comprising a removablebrace member mounted rearwardly of said plate.

6. In a furnace, the combination of a traveling chain grate,l a cross-wall spaced above the rear of said grate, a fixed water'- circulating tube mounted in the space between said wall and grate surface and forming therebelow an ash discharge opening, ate member comprising a vertical gin above said tube and provided along its lower margin with a flange bearmg agalnst the rear surface of said tube.

7. In 'a furnace, the combination of a traveling chain grate, a cross-wall extending transversely above the rear portion' of the grate, av fixed fuel-retarding member spaced between the under surface of said wall and the grate and forming an ash discharge opening therebelow, a movable fuel-retarding member comprising a luraiity of transversely arranged plates plvotally connected beneath said Wall and extending downwardly behind and terminating in Contact Wit-h said fixed. member, and ylooking means for retaining said plates in Contact with said xeol1 member.

In testimony that E claim the foregoing as my invention, ii ax my signature in the presence of two Witnesses, this 13th day of 1 January, A. D. 1917.

HERMAN A. POPPENHUSEN Witnesses:

HAR. WILSON, A. S. BRADY. 

